Improvement in harvesters



' UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

L. G. KNIFFEN, OF NORTH SALEM, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT lN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 26,437, dated December 13, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, L. G. KNIFFEN, of North Salem, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Mowing-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accom panyin gdrawings, forming a part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 represents an end elevation of my machine, showing the finger and cutter bar when placed in a horizontal position and confined to the side of the machine for transportation.- Fig. 2 is aplan view of the finger and cutter bar shown in an open and closed state. Fig. 3 is a view of the vertical pin, in detail, for uniting the finger and cutter bar to the machine, so as to permit of a horizontal motion closing up the finger and cutter bar parallel with the side of the machine. Fig. 4 is a view of the shoe for holding the finger-bar.

Similar letters of reference in each of the several figures indicate corresponding parts.

My invention relates to harvesters which have the cutting apparatus arranged so as to be adjusted in the path of a horizontal circle to a position parallel with the side of the machine.

The nature of my invention consists in constructing, as a whole, the shoe on which the cutter and finger bars are supported and adjusted in one piece, combining the guide-box for the cutter-bar, the recess for the fingerbar, the slotted bracketfor the caster-wheel to be attached to, the vertical locking portion or its equivalent, and the vertical pivot pr gudgeon for the whole to be suspended and adj usted on horizontally, to a position parallel with the inner side of the main frame, as set forth.

By my invention a simple, cheap, and convenient shoe for harvesters which have their cutter-bar adjustable horizontally, as well as F is a brace, which, being attached to a bracket hung from the under side and front shoe consists of a box, a, recess b, a vertical slotted locking portion, d, and a curved slotted bearing, m. The caster-wheel is hung in the adjusting-slot of the bearin g m, andthe fingerbar G is bolt-ed to the" shoe in the recess b,

while the cutter-bar works in the box a, and r is operated by an eccentric (not shown) through the medium of pointed connecting-rods H. g

I is a brace, which is.attached to a bracket,

J, by means ofa swivel-joint, and proceeds to the front of the machine and is bolted to the inclined hinged brace F, so as to strengthen the parts against lateral strain. The cutting device above described has a free vertical as well as a horizontal play, so that it can be elevated over stones or other substances, during the operation of cutting,without stopping the onward motion of the machine, and so that it may be turned to a position parallel with the side of the machine, as represented clearly by Figs. 1 and 2, and be fixed in this position for transportation. i

When the machine is in the field the cutterbar, with its appendages, is placed in the position indicated by black lines in Fig. 2, when it must be rigidly locked and secured against the longitudinal pressure. This object is accomplished by the following means:

0 is a strong spring-latch, with a piece, f, on its end, which, when the cutter-box assumes its proper position for cutting, fits into a slot in the vertical portion d, and is, held there by the downward action of the spring 0. This spring has a hook, 9, attached to it,cn which is looped a chain, h, which passes up and over a quadrant, L, which has ratchet-teeth on its inner surface. This quadrant is pivoted to a plate, M,and has a socket into which isfittedalever, N, which is in a convenient position tobe operated by the driver. The chain which connects with the spring e also connects with the brace F, and in such a manner that the driver, by depressing the leverrN, can elevate the finger-bar and cutters without disengagingthe 'secure by Letters Patent, is

latch e. This description exhibits only one bar, the slotted-bracket m for the caster-wheel method of locking the finger-bar to the brace to be'attached to, the vertical locking portion F; but a better locking arrangement may be d, or its equivalent; the vertical pivot or guddevised in putting my invention into practice, geon G, for the whole to be suspended or adand therefore I lay no claim to the manner of justed on horizontally to a position parallel locking the finger-bar. with the inner side of the main frame, as set What I claim as my invention, and desire to forth.

. T Constructing, as a whole, the shoe on which KNIFFEVL the cutter and finger bars are supported and Witnesses: adjusted in one piece, combining the guide-box CHAS. M. HUGHES, a for the cutter-bar, the recess 1) for the finger- M. M. LIVINGSTON. 

